In face of Perry surge in national and state polls, Romney abandons focus on fundraising and infrastructure - WSJ

The Daily Caller looks at Romney's new readiness to party with the Tea Party: "The GOP presidential candidate will join the Tea Party Express for an event in New Hampshire over Labor Day weekend, the first tea party rally he’s ever attended that has been hosted by a national organization, according to organizers."

Romney should focus on Perry's social security views - William Galston for TNR

But Obama remains Romney's main target: "Romney warned on Tuesday that America was on the brink of “profound economic misery,” the latest effort by the Republican presidential candidate to paint an unrelentingly grim picture of the country under President Obama’s leadership." - New York Times

As they reach for the sharpest contrast they can find with President Obama, the Republican presidential hopefuls are sounding anything but hopeful - Michael D Shear for the New York Times

Bachmann and women politicians can't win in the 'looking good' game

"If a woman isn’t concerned with her appearance, you can be certain everyone else will be. The same folks who are now accusing Bachmann of “acting like a celebrity” and being a “diva” would talk about how dog-tired and haggard she looks if her handlers didn’t make sure her props were in order. Before long the word would be out: She can’t take the heat. She’s exhausted." - Kathleen Parker for the Washington Post

Liberals embrace the rhetoric of science, but not its cautious and dispassionate reasoning - At NRO Rich Lowry responds to Democrats' attempts to paint Perry and other Republicans as anti-science.

"O’Donnell has been abruptly removed from the speakers list at an event sponsored by Tea Party of America featuring Sarah Palin in Iowa. According to the group’s co-founder, Charlie Gruschow, he received a flood of “emails from a lot of tea party folks that were very disappointed that she would be speaking.” As a result, the event organizers decided it was in the best interests of the Tea Party “movement” not to have O’Donnell speak." - FrumForum

"Boehner noted Tuesday that the total cost of Obama's seven proposed regulations could exceed $100 billion and he's now requesting a full cost estimate for 219 other proposed rules that are expected to have a significant impact on the economy." - Washington Examiner

Blaming Bush may still work for Obama

"In a recent Associated Press-gfK survey, 51 percent said that Bush deserved “almost all” or “a lot but not all” of the blame for the “country’s current economic problems”. Just 31 percent said the same of Obama... The problem for Obama and his political team is that it’s not entirely clear how long the public will continue to put the lion’s share of blame for the economy on the last occupant of the White House. Elections tend to be about the future not the past and Republicans are and will continue to do everything they can to make sure Obama owns the economy." - Chris Cillizza for the Washington Post

A cartoon mocks the growing list of events and people that Obama blames - PowerLine.

Obama is as bad as Bush on the environment - Mark Bittman in the New York Times

Obama has not rescued public standing of federal government but has surrendered to special interests - Jay Cost in the Weekly Standard

State and local governments did what they are meant to during Hurricane Irene - Jim Lacey for NRO